Albert Heijn README
The full upstream README, mirrored here for reference. Install config, tool schemas, adoption signals, and an original overview live on the Albert Heijn listing page.
albert-heijn-mcp
Your Albert Heijn account, in your AI assistant.
Connect your Albert Heijn account to an AI assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor, and do your grocery shopping by just asking. Find products and bonus deals, plan meals from Allerhande recipes, keep your shopping list and delivery order up to date, and look back at what you've bought.
Technically, it's a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Albert Heijn 🇳🇱. MCP is the standard way AI apps connect to other services, so it works with any app that supports MCP.
[!NOTE] An unofficial project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Albert Heijn. It uses the same API as the AH mobile app, which may change without notice.
Contents
For everyone
Technical details
- Running it on a server for ChatGPT and Claude.ai
- Configuration
- Tools and limitations
- Development
What you can ask
Ask in Dutch, English or any language your assistant speaks:
"Wat is er deze week in de bonus van wat ik meestal koop?"
Plan meals
"Find a vegetarian Allerhande recipe under 30 minutes for two, and put the ingredients on my shopping list. I already have olive oil and salt."
"Scale the panlasagne recipe to six people and tell me how much salmon I need."
"Plan three weeknight dinners around what's on bonus this week."
Save money
"Which products I usually buy are on bonus this week?"
"Rebuild tonight's stir-fry with ingredients that are on bonus, without changing the recipe too much."
"Is next week's bonus out yet? If not, when does it appear?"
"What's in the 2+1 gratis kaas deal?"
Shop
"Put the products I've had delivered at least three times back on my list."
"Find organic, gluten-free pasta, cheapest first."
"Compare the protein and sugar in these three yoghurts and add the best one to my list."
"When can AH deliver on Saturday?"
"The courgettes are sold out. What else would work in this recipe?"
"Add two more packs of milk to my upcoming delivery."
"Make a favourites list called Pasta night with everything from this recipe."
"Any vandaag-af bread or vegetables at my local AH worth picking up tonight?"
Look back
"How much did my in-store receipts add up to in September, and what were the five priciest items?"
"Show the receipt from my last shop and list anything I bought more than once."
Getting started
You need an Albert Heijn account. Then:
- Connect your app: pick yours below.
- Log in to Albert Heijn: ask your assistant to log you in, once.
- Ask away. See what you can ask.
Connecting a client
| Your app | How |
|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | Download and double-click. Easiest; nothing else to install. |
| Cursor, VS Code | One-click install button |
| ChatGPT, Claude.ai (web and mobile) | Needs your own server (technical) |
| Other apps | Add a command to the app's settings |
Claude Desktop
- Download
albert-heijn-mcp.mcpb. - Double-click it and choose Install. If it doesn't open in Claude, go to Settings → Extensions → Advanced settings → Install Extension… and pick the file.
That's it: the file contains everything it needs. To update, do the same with the file from the newest release.
Other desktop apps that support MCP Bundles (.mcpb files) install it the same way.
Cursor and VS Code
Install Node.js 24 (LTS) first, then click:
ChatGPT and Claude.ai
Web and mobile apps can't run anything on your computer; they only connect to servers on the internet. So you first need to run it on a server, which takes some technical know-how. Then add it as a connector:
- ChatGPT needs Developer mode (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education). Open Settings → advanced settings, turn on Developer mode, and create a connector with
https://your-server/mcp. Set authentication to OAuth. - Claude.ai: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector, paste
https://your-server/mcpand choose Connect.
The app then opens a login page on your server: enter your AH_MCP_TOKEN there, once.
Other apps
Apps that start MCP servers as a local command need Node.js 24 (LTS) and run npx -y albert-heijn-mcp, which downloads and runs the latest version. Most of them take this JSON in their MCP settings:
Where the settings live differs per app; see its documentation. Apps with a command line usually have an add command instead, e.g. <client> mcp add ah -- npx -y albert-heijn-mcp. It is also listed in the MCP Registry, which some apps install from.
To install it permanently instead, run npm install --global albert-heijn-mcp and use the albert-heijn-mcp command; run the same command again to update.
[!TIP] Desktop apps don't load your shell profile, so they may not find
npx(common with nvm). Then setcommandto the output ofwhich npx.
Logging in
Ask your assistant to log you in to Albert Heijn. You only do this once; the login is then kept and renewed automatically.
On your computer (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and other local apps), a separate browser window opens with AH's login page. Log in there as usual: the window closes by itself and you're logged in. Then tell your assistant you're done.
The window uses a fresh, empty browser profile, so type your password: saved passwords and password-manager extensions aren't available there. It needs Chrome, Edge, Brave or Chromium (not the snap version on Ubuntu) and a screen; otherwise you copy the code by hand as below.
On a server (ChatGPT, Claude.ai), or when no login window can open, you copy a code by hand. AH's login page has a captcha that only works on AH's own website, so the code has to come from your browser:
You need a computer for this, not a phone or tablet: their browsers have no developer console. Chrome, Edge or Brave work best.
-
Open the link your assistant gives you, but don't log in yet.
-
Open the developer console in that tab, a panel for web developers that you can open safely: ⌘ ⌥ J on Mac, or Ctrl Shift J on Windows and Linux.
-
Log in as usual. AH then tries to open its phone app, which your browser can't do, so the page seems stuck. In the console, find this red line:
-
Copy the part from
appie://up to the closing quote and paste it into the chat. The code works once and expires quickly, so paste it right away.
No line there? See Troubleshooting. To log a server in without the developer console, see Running it on a server.
Where your login is stored
Your login is saved on your own computer and renewed automatically, in a file only your user can read:
| OS | Location |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/albert-heijn-mcp/tokens.json |
| Linux | ~/.config/albert-heijn-mcp/tokens.json (or under $XDG_CONFIG_HOME) |
| Windows | %AppData%\albert-heijn-mcp\tokens.json |
Override the location with AH_TOKENS_PATH.
Troubleshooting
No login window opens
The login window needs Chrome, Edge, Brave or Chromium installed in the usual place, and a screen: not over SSH, and not with Ubuntu's snap Chromium. Without one, your assistant gives you the link instead, and you copy the code by hand. If the window closed before you finished, ask to log in again.
No "Failed to launch" line after logging in
The developer console has to be open before you log in. Open it, then open the login link again in that same tab and log in. If AH skips the login form because you're still logged in, that's fine: the line appears all the same. You can also look for the appie://login-exit?code=… request in the Network tab. Browsers other than Chrome, Edge or Brave may show the link in an error page or dialog instead.
Login fails with "exchange code"
Codes work once and expire quickly. Ask to log in again and paste the new link straight away.
"Not logged in", or the session seems broken
Ask your assistant to log you out and back in, or delete tokens.json from the login location and log in again.
"The Albert Heijn login has expired"
Albert Heijn no longer accepts the stored login. Ask your assistant to log in to Albert Heijn again. Reconnecting your app to the server doesn't help: that's a separate login.
If it keeps expiring on your server, keep tokens.json on storage that survives restarts and redeploys, and run a single instance. AH replaces the login every time it's renewed, so an older copy of the file, or a second instance renewing on its own, gets rejected.
"Already connected as …" when pasting a login code
A code never replaces a working login, so a code from someone else's account can't switch you over. To switch accounts, ask to log out first, then log in again.
"There is no active delivery order to change"
AH accepts order changes only once an order exists. Choose a delivery slot in the AH app or on ah.nl first.
"The shopping list is not available while a delivery order is active"
Choosing a slot moved your list into the order. Ask your assistant to change the order instead (ah_get_cart, ah_update_cart_item) until it is delivered or cancelled.
The server doesn't start: "needs AH_MCP_TOKEN of at least 32 characters"
Set AH_MCP_TOKEN to a long random value, e.g. the output of openssl rand -hex 32, and restart. Changing it logs out every client; reconnect them once.
Server login page shows "This login link is not valid"
Start connecting again from the app. If it keeps happening right after you enter the token, check that AH_MCP_BASE_URL is exactly the address in your browser, including https://: the login form is only accepted from that address.
Server login opens at localhost, or the app can't reach it
Set AH_MCP_BASE_URL to the server's public https:// URL and restart it. Apps are sent there to log in.
Port 3000 is in use
Set AH_MCP_PORT to another port, in the environment or .env.
Running it on a server
Web and mobile apps such as ChatGPT and Claude.ai need the server on the internet, over Streamable HTTP with HTTPS. The endpoint is https://your-server/mcp.
Apps log in with OAuth: add the endpoint with OAuth (or automatic) authentication, and the app opens a login page on your server. Enter your AH_MCP_TOKEN there once; the app then gets its own tokens and renews them. The server accepts only these OAuth tokens, not AH_MCP_TOKEN itself, so apps without OAuth support can't connect over HTTP; run them locally instead.
[!IMPORTANT] Anyone with
AH_MCP_TOKENcan log in and use your Albert Heijn account. Use a long random value (openssl rand -hex 32). Changing it logs out every client.
It runs as a hardened systemd service behind a reverse proxy, installed from npm:
-
Prepare the server. Install Node.js 24 and create a service user:
-
Configure it in
/home/albert-heijn-mcp/.env:Make it readable only by the service:
sudo chown albert-heijn-mcp: /home/albert-heijn-mcp/.env && sudo chmod 600 /home/albert-heijn-mcp/.env. -
Install it with the service unit that comes with the package (it runs in
--remotemode):To update, run the same commands, then
sudo systemctl restart albert-heijn-mcp. -
Add TLS with a reverse proxy that forwards to
127.0.0.1:3000. With Caddy:
To log the server in to Albert Heijn, ask a connected app to log you in and copy the code by hand. Or skip the code: log in on your own computer with the login window, then copy the login to the server:
The server picks it up on the next request; no restart needed. The separate file keeps your computer's own login apart: AH replaces a login every time it's renewed, so only one place can use each login. On a host without SSH, upload it to where the server keeps its login: AH_TOKENS_PATH, or the default location for the user it runs as.
The service can write only to /home/albert-heijn-mcp, where it keeps its tokens. If you point AH_LOG_FILE elsewhere, add that path to ReadWritePaths in the unit file.
Configuration
Settings are environment variables. They can also go in a .env file in the working directory (see .env.example); variables already set in the environment take precedence. On a hosting platform, set them in its environment variable or secret settings instead of a .env file, so AH_MCP_TOKEN stays out of the app's files.
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
AH_REMOTE | false | Don't open a browser on login; log in by copying the code instead (same as --remote). Always on with streamable-http. |
AH_TOKENS_PATH | per OS | Where to store login tokens. |
AH_MCP_HOST | 127.0.0.1 | Interface the HTTP server listens on. Keep the default behind a reverse proxy. |
AH_MCP_PORT | 3000 | HTTP server port. |
AH_MCP_BASE_URL | http://localhost:3000 | Public URL of the HTTP server. Set it on a server: OAuth clients are sent to this URL to log in, and for a non-local URL the localhost-only Host check is turned off so a reverse proxy can forward requests. |
AH_MCP_TOKEN | — | Secret for the HTTP transport, at least 32 characters; the transport doesn't start without it. You enter it on the OAuth login page; it also signs the OAuth tokens. |
AH_LOG_FILE | — | Also append logs to this file. Logs always go to stderr. |
Command-line flags:
stdio (the default) is for local clients; streamable-http serves MCP at /mcp, with OAuth login at /authorize. login logs in to Albert Heijn from the terminal, saves the tokens and exits; with --remote it asks for the code instead of opening a login window.
Tools
These are what your assistant uses behind the scenes; you don't call them yourself. Read-only tools are marked as such, so apps can run them without asking. Tools that remove data are marked destructive, so apps ask for confirmation first.
Tools that return data also return it as structured output with a declared schema, for clients that use it. Products and recipes in tool results include a url to their page on ah.nl, and the server asks the assistant to link their names to it.
Account
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_login | Log in: opens a login window on your computer, or returns AH's login link and completes the login with the code you paste back. |
ah_logout | Delete the stored tokens, to switch accounts or reset a session. |
ah_get_member_profile | Name, masked email, and bonus card number (last 4 digits). |
Products & offers
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_search_products | Search one or more keywords at once; Dutch terms work best. Filter by bonus=true or by filters (organic, vegan, gluten_free and other diets, allergens and labels), and sort by price, what you buy most, or Nutri-Score. |
ah_get_products | Details for one or more products. include_nutritional_info=true adds the nutrition table. |
ah_get_product_alternatives | Similar products and substitutes AH suggests for a product. |
ah_get_bonus_offers | This week's bonus offers, or next week's with period=next. previously_bought=true limits them to products you bought before (AH's "Eerder gekocht"). Can filter by keyword. |
ah_get_bonus_group_products | The individual products behind a group deal such as "2+1 gratis". |
ah_search_stores | Nearby stores, by postal code or your own address. |
ah_get_last_chance_items | Vandaag-af markdowns in a store; the one nearest your address by default. |
Recipes
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_search_recipes | Search Allerhande recipes; Dutch terms work best. |
ah_get_recipe | Ingredients, steps, and nutrition per serving. servings scales the ingredients. |
ah_add_recipe_to_shopping_list | Match a recipe's ingredients to products and add them to the list in one step. It prefers products on bonus (prefer_bonus=false turns that off); skip leaves out what you have, and dry_run=true previews the matches. |
Shopping list & favourites
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_get_shopping_list | Your shopping list ("Mijn lijst"), the basket you fill while shopping. |
ah_add_to_shopping_list | Put products on the list, with a quantity each. |
ah_add_free_text_to_shopping_list | Add a free-text item, like "verse bloemen". |
ah_remove_from_shopping_list | Remove products or free-text items. |
ah_clear_shopping_list | Remove everything. Requires confirm="yes". |
ah_get_favorite_lists | Your favourite lists ("Mijn lijstjes"). |
ah_add_to_favorite_list | Add products to a favourite list. |
ah_remove_from_favorite_list | Take products off a favourite list. |
ah_create_favorite_list | Start a new, empty favourite list. |
ah_delete_favorite_list | Delete a favourite list and its items. Requires confirm="yes". |
Delivery order
Choosing a delivery or pick-up slot in the AH app moves your shopping list into an order. ah_get_delivery_slots shows when delivery is possible; the other tools work on that order.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_get_delivery_slots | Delivery windows at your address for the coming days. |
ah_get_cart | Products in the active order, with total price and discount. |
ah_update_cart_item | Change a product's quantity; 0 takes it out. |
ah_remove_from_cart | Remove a product from the order. |
ah_clear_cart | Remove everything from the order. Requires confirm="yes". |
Orders & receipts
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ah_get_orders | Upcoming delivery orders, or past ones with past=true. |
ah_get_order_details | Products in one order. |
ah_get_frequent_items | Your most-ordered products, counted over your delivery orders. |
ah_get_receipts | Recent in-store receipts (kassabonnen). |
ah_get_receipt_details | Items, discounts and payment for one receipt. |
Limitations
- Delivery orders can't be started through the API.
ah_get_delivery_slotslists the windows, but booking one, which starts the order, happens in the AH app or on ah.nl. While the order is active, AH doesn't serve the shopping list; the tools say so and point to the order tools. - Ticking off shopping-list items isn't supported: the API returns no usable item IDs.
- Bonus Box, AH's personal weekly deals, is not available: its API is unknown.
- Limits per call: at most 99 of a product, 50 items, and 100 characters for a free-text item or list name.
Development
Run it from the checkout with node dist/index.js, or use /path/to/albert-heijn-mcp/dist/index.js as the argument in your client's config with node as the command.
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
src/index.ts, src/config.ts, src/loginCommand.ts | Entry point, flags and settings, and the login command |
src/ahapi/ | Client for AH's REST and GraphQL API, on Node's built-in fetch |
src/auth/ | Login window, login code exchange, token storage and refresh |
src/server/ | Streamable HTTP transport and OAuth login |
src/tools/ | The MCP tools, one file per area |
deploy/ | systemd unit, shipped in the package |
manifest.json, |
The only runtime dependencies are the official MCP TypeScript SDK and Zod, which the SDK uses for tool schemas.
To call tools by hand, use the MCP Inspector:
Before deploying a change, run a quick check against a real account: log in, search for melk, add a product to your shopping list and remove it again, then view your cart and orders.
To release, set the new version with npm version 1.2.3 --no-git-tag-version and in both places in server.json and in manifest.json, merge it to main, and push a tag: git tag v1.2.3 && git push origin v1.2.3. Only repository admins can create v* tags. The release workflow checks that the versions match, builds the package, attaches it to the GitHub release as albert-heijn-mcp.tgz together with the albert-heijn-mcp.mcpb bundle, and stages the package on npm through trusted publishing, so no npm token is stored. Approve the staged version on npmjs.com (or with npm stage approve) to make it live; the workflow then updates the MCP Registry entry. The release starts without notes; write them on GitHub.